This invention relates to a dart game that includes a rectangular dart board subdivided into two equal size zones. Three or four circular targets are located at different points in each zone. Each circular target represents a military unit, e.g. a surface ship, or a submarine, or an airplane, or a military tank. One player owns the military units (targets) in one zone. The other player owns the military units (targets) in the other zone.
Each player is given a supply of darts, e.g. four or five darts. One player throws his/her darts toward the other player's targets (military units). The other player then throws his/her darts toward the first player's targets. The process is repeated, with each player having a turn throwing the supply of darts at the other player's targets.
The object of the game is for each player to destroy the other player's targets by throwing darts onto such targets a specified number of times, e.g. four or five times. The winner is the player who first destroys all of the other players targets (military units).
The dart board has additional spaces marked thereon for the purpose of introducing offensive and defensive strategies into the game. One offensive strategy is provided by a dart-regain space in each zone; when the player's dart strikes such a space he/she is given an extra dart, thereby increasing his/her offensive capability. Another offensive strategy is provided by power token spaces marked in each zone; when a player's dart strikes a power token space he/she is enabled to multiply the effect of subsequently thrown darts on the opposing player's targets. For example, if a player has acquired a power token (by landing a dart in a power token space) he/she is permitted to place a doubled value on the next dart thrown at the opposing player's targets; if the dart strikes the target it has the same scoring effect as two hits would have.
A defensive strategy is introduced into the game, by means of two or more shield-increase spaces marked in each zone. If a player's dart lands in a shield-increase space he/she is enabled to increase the number of hits required to destroy any designated target under that player's control. The player can thus employ a defensive strategy to protect (shield) designated targets from destruction by the opposing player's darts.
Another defensive strategy is provided by one or more dart-loss spaces marked in each zone. If a player's dart lands on the other player's dart-loss space the other player is required to give up one of his/her darts. This reduces one player's offensive capability, and in a relative sense increases the other player's defensive capability.
As far as I know, there are no prior art dart board games having the above-described target arrangements and ancillary spaces for achievement of offensive and defensive strategies.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,530 to S. Roop, shows a dart board marked to simulate a football field. Players throw darts at selected areas of the field to advance the player's position on the field.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,979,117 to R. Worsham, shows a football dart board having three separated target areas simulating pass plays, running plays, and kicks. The players select the target areas to be thrown at, as required by the football rules and situations.
The present invention is believed to be a departure from the inventions disclosed in the noted patents.